1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to emergency warning systems; and, more particularly, to a system for immediately alerting citizens within a targeted geographical area to a crisis, emergency or important event by broadcasting alert information over multiple delivery platforms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Emergency warning systems that provide alert information to users have been proposed by prior art workers. These systems typically facilitate mass distribution of warning alerts that notify the public of severe weather conditions, chemical emergencies, traffic hazards, earthquakes, fires, explosions and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,748 to Leichner discloses a disaster alert by telephone system. Local telephone exchanges in a threatened geographical area connect to their subscribers and transmit a recorded warning message. This is accomplished in response to transmission of threat data communicated from one of several remote computer terminals to a central computer. The central computer has a data storage device upon which is stored a local exchange database and preferably recorded warning messages. Upon receipt of the threat data from the remote computer terminal, the central computer is connected in communication with the local exchanges in the threatened geographical area and instructs the local exchanges to connect to its subscribers and provides instructions or a warning message to be played to the subscribers who go off-hook. This system provides machine generated voice messages. There is no administrator screening disaster alert data with regard to relevance to individual users. The disaster alert is only delivered by telephone and is unavailable to a person not adjacent to a telephone.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,904 to Lamb discloses an apparatus and method for providing weather and other alerts. This apparatus includes a digital broadcasting unit that broadcasts short digital pulses using a wireless network representing an alert code that is specific to a particular region. The digital alert code is received by a powered receiver with a microprocessor that interprets the received alert code of level 1, level 2 type and displays alerts in a variety of output devices. The broadcasting unit communicates only with the digital receiver by a special digital code and does not provide alert to cell phones by text messages, to pagers or by e-mail. The alert message is not screened by an administrator. The broadcasting unit communicates with all digital receivers without reference to a specific user list.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,265 to Saylor et al. discloses a system and method for monitoring security systems by using video images. The system wirelessly monitors images of personal properties and individuals within a user location and compares changes in images to determine if an alarm event has occurred. The central system may communicate the alarm event to the user or authorities or persons in a contact list. The system may also receive manually triggered alarms initiated by a user using wireless transmission. This system does not communicate to the user an alarm event for a particular location created by authorities including police, weather related events or catastrophic events. In the primary mode of the disclosure, the system only uses images and looks for changes in images which is generally insufficient to detect an alarm event.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,462,665 to Tarlton et al discloses a method and apparatus for sending a weather condition alert. This weather alert station uses standard broadcast weather alert warnings by government agencies including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and NOAA sub-organizations, including the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Emergency Managers Weather Information Network (EMWIN), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other federal agencies, parses the alert data to user specific location and risk tolerance and passively sends alert signals via pager to subscribed users. The weather alert does not respond to any alert situation other than weather related alerts. It communicates only through a pager and does not use multiple means of alerting the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,661,340 to Saylor et al. discloses a system and method for connecting security systems to a wireless device. This patent disclosure is very similar to U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,265 to Saylor et al. discussed above. The only difference is several sensors are wirelessly connected to the central security network, not just image processing sensors. These user-provided security devices may be video security monitors, intrusion alarms, personal panic devices and the like as long as they are set to wirelessly communicate with the central security network. This communication requirement imposes a serious limitation on the type of wireless sensors and devices. In addition, for the central security system to recognize a particular type of alarm, these user-provided security devices must provide additional information, such as type of alarm and the like, which is generally not permitted by the software requirements of the central security system. As a result, any old user-provided security or alert system may not communicate properly with the central security system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,557 to Petite et al. (hereinafter, “the '557 patent”) discloses a system and method for signaling a weather alert condition to a residential environment. A severe weather alert system is provided for communicating weather conditions to remote locations, such as inside of residential homes, offices, or businesses. A modified smoke detector is provided with an integrated RF receiver for receiving message packets containing information that may be conveyed through its speaker, buzzer, or other sound-emanating device. This system detects only severe weather conditions and does not detect other emergency situations. The RF transmitters only communicate with modified smoke detectors and do not communicate to the user by any other communication channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,914,525 to Rao et al. discloses an alert system and method for geographic or natural disasters utilizing a telecommunications network. The system uses a number of wireless sensor modules that communicate wirelessly with a control center. The wireless sensor modules use photo interrupters, proximity switches, sliding switches, mercury switches, ultrasonic sensors and strain gauges to detect water level, earth movement, position shifts, vibration and acceleration and analyze geographic or natural disaster potential in the monitored area and issue alerts for imminent geographic or natural disasters. The system only collects events as they occur such as earth movement, floods etc. It does not collect data of potential disasters from any sources other than installed sensors. The system is only sensitive to geographic or natural disasters that are detectable by installed sensors, which are water level, earth movement as manifested by earth displacement, velocity of movement and acceleration of movement.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0075155 to Guillory discloses a system for selective notification of severe weather events. This system sends an effective warning signal to receivers in a predetermined area. The system uses one or more control stations, which transmit digitally alerts for severe weather events. The digital code includes an activation code for receivers in selected sectors. The digital code activates these receivers in the target sectors sounding the severe weather alert alarm. This is an alert transmission system that controls the issue of alert warnings to target sectors. This system does not alert individual subscribed users of alerts, but rather activates receiver boxes. The alert information is not communicated to users by multiple modes of communications. The system is only sensitive to weather alerts as determined by authorities.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0145514 to Dawson discloses an emergency call system using wireless, direct connect and telephone subsystems providing integration into a single head-end platform at least one of direct connect (hard-wired), wireless and telephone subsystems. The system uses wireless, hard wired and telephone connected alert generating subsystems that communicate with a single head end platform through a data bus, which generates alert signals. The alert signal is displayed in an LCD enunciator, and the system uses paging output, Internet generated e-mail and voice mail communicating with the user of the alert signal. This system does not collect emergency situations other than that generated by the wireless, hard wired or telephone devices connected to the system. There is no administrator within the system and the alert signal is not tailored according to the subscribed user preferences.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0069002 to Hunter et al. discloses a system and method for emergency notification content delivery. This method is for the dissemination of emergency notification content from an emergency originating source. A number of emergency notification originating sources communicate with an emergency notification delivery system. These notification sources include emergency notification sources and remotely located sensors. These sensor devices may include GPS location providers, detectors for hazardous chemicals, radiation sources, toxic chemicals and gases, biohazard, shock from blast, tornado or earthquake. The emergency notification is delivered to a user device selected from a user database that lists user contact information including pager, PDA, cellular or conventional telephony. These devices do not provide an acknowledgement of the receipt the emergency notification content. The emergency notification content delivery system only receives emergency notification content from emergency originating sources, not from all sources available. It does not tailor the emergency notification according to the preferences of a subscribed user since the user database does not contain all the emergency preferences and sensitivities of the user.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0202663 to Hollis et al. discloses a system and method for secure message-oriented network communications. This message-oriented middleware solution is for securely transmitting messages and files across public networks unencumbered by intervening network barriers implemented as security measures. It also provides a dynamic, dedicated, application level Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution that is facilitated by the message-oriented middleware. Standard encryption algorithms are used to minimize the threat of eavesdropping and an Open-Pull Protocol (OPP) that allows target nodes to pull and verify the credentials of requesters prior to the passing of any data by using key authority which comprises generating a set of public-private key pairs and a uniform resource identifier. The security network provides a dynamic, private transport for sensitive data over existing non-secure networks without the overhead and limited security associated with traditional VPN solutions. The system uses open pull protocol and verification key pairs to enable encrypted information transfer between nodes. This system provides a secure communication protocol and does not collect and distribute alert notifications.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0222777 to Sweatt discloses an emergency warning network. A base station broadcasts a waning signal to an earth orbiting satellite which extends the warning signal to a first substation adapted to broadcast the received warning signal to portable receivers. The satellite also sends the warning signal to a second substation which, in turn, broadcasts the warning signal to a second earth orbiting satellite, adapted to broadcast the warning signal to a third substation that services additional portable receivers. This emergency warning network broadcasts the same warning signal to a large geographical area. Hence, the warning signal cannot satisfy any local emergency need and is at best a general warning. The use of earth orbiting satellites requires sufficient communication power from all the substations used, and therefore is inaccessible to remote areas. Moreover, the portable receivers have to be in close proximity with the substations, with the result that the system cannot service remote areas. The system does not provide emergency alerts according to the preferences of the user. Alerts messages are not communicated to a user using multiple platforms; but rather are communicated only through a portable receiver.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0103158 to Vella et al. discloses a cellular messaging alert method and system. This system utilizes existing wireless communication devices and networks, such as cellular phones and carriers, as an underlying infrastructure in providing emergency information to a targeted percentage of the population in a specified geographical location, without requiring individuals to subscribe to an alerting service and without using information solicited from or provided by the intended recipients of the alert. The alert message is created when an Internet user, or originator, whose authority is first verified, communicates with a web-based server. The system accesses cell phone databases to determine the number of cell phones present within the target area. The system sends SMS messages to each of the cell phones in the target area notifying them of the alert situation without being initially prompted by the cell phone user. This alert message is delivered to all users as an unsolicited broadcast. The alert message may not meet any of the user's emergency alert preference requirements. The alert message is initiated and provided by the originator, a person of authority, and may not always protect the cell phone user as alert recommendations change and develop radically as a function of time. The system informs the originator via email that the alert message has been delivered.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0152493 to Phillips et al. discloses methods, systems and apparatus for selectively distributing urgent public information. The method comprises maintaining a distribution address associated with each of the alert gateways. The distribution address for a particular alert gateway can provide sufficient identifying information about the alert gateway to allow an alert to be transmitted to the alert gateway. The method further includes associating at least one gateway characteristic for a particular alert gateway with the distribution address for that particular alert gateway. In some cases, the method will include receiving an alert. The alert can have associated information about the alert, for example, information about the urgency of the alert, the applicable time and/or date for the alert, and the like. The information about the alert can include geographic information about a geographic area to which the alert pertains such that subscribers outside the geographic area would be relatively unlikely to be interested in receiving the alert. Since each gateway pertains to one specific characteristic of the user, the combination of characteristics, typically required by the user is not readily accessed. The system does not gather alerts pertinent to the preferences of a user, but focuses instead on geographical locations. It merely creates distribution address lists for each of the gateways.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0027741, 2005/0027742 to Eichstaedt et al. discloses a method and system for alert delivery architecture. This alert delivery system polls source contents including a variety of content information such as personal advertisements, shopping prices, news articles, and the like. It also accesses stock quotes, auction bids, and the like that may already be provided as an alert from a topical service. The second patent application uses a multiple number of pollers to validate data and updates the data (if the data content needs to be updated) prior to the delivery of the alert. This alert system does not facilitate collection of alerts that pose imminent emergency situations. There is no administrator within the system architecture that prioritizes gathered information according to user's preferences. The system is not connected to the Internet or to private intranets.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0030977 to Casey et al. discloses alert gateway, systems and methods. These alert gateway, systems and methods distribute urgent public information. The alert gateway device receives urgent public information, such as an alert message from an external alert source including Emergency Alert System transmission, an Amber Alert, a severe weather notification, and a Homeland Security Advisory notification. The alert gateway device is incorporated within a network interface device and the alert message may then be distributed to a subscriber in any of a variety of ways, including by POTS (plain old telephone system) telephone, by data message (e.g., to a computer), by video message (e.g., via a television), by display on an alert notification device. The alert gateway device may comprise one or more external interfaces, which may be configured to communicate with at least one alert source. The alert gateway device may also comprise one or more internal interfaces, a processor in communication with the external interface(s) and internal interface(s) and/or a storage medium in communication with the processor. The storage medium may comprise instructions executable by the processor to receive an alert message, which can comprise an alert, via the external interface(s). The instructions may be further executable to interpret the alert message, determine how to provide the alert to the subscriber, format the alert in such a way as to facilitate the provision of the alert in a determined manner and/or, using the internal interface, provide the alert to the subscriber, perhaps according to the determination of how to provide the alert to the subscriber. The subscriber devices may acknowledge the receipt of the alert. The alert system only distributes alert messages from authorities but does not collect user specific alert information.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0031095 to Pietrowicz discloses a dial-out voice notification system. This dial-out voice notification system broadcasts messages that contain relatively large amount of content to a plurality of customer premises devices. The dial-out voice server initiates a plurality of telephone calls to a plurality of telephone numbers associated with customer premises alerting devices. The dial-out server also transmits a control data signal to the alerting devices, which indicates an incoming voice message to the alerting devices. When an alert message is received this voice notification system initiates a plurality of telephone calls to cell phones and regular telephone and customer premises devices notifying the users of the alert. The dial-out notification voice message may include control data signals that enable special features of customer premise devices. This system does not collect imminent emergency situation data. There is no administrator provided within the system that evaluates the alert messages received according to the needs and preferences of a subscribed user. The system merely dials out voice notifications to telephones and cell phones and does not communicate alerts using multiple platforms. No provision is made for a customized user specific web page that documents the alert.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0031096 to Postrel discloses a command synchronization method and system. The command synchronization is a method of operating a notification and response system. A user using a toll free number accesses this universal communication system to register the user and use the system. The user can send alerts to other users connected to the universal communication system using various features and parameters available within the system. The system does not collect data on imminent emergency situations. It merely provides users with alert and other information.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0197775 to Smith discloses user-centric event reporting. The system and method is for receiving hazard and event information in a mobile unit and using that information to warn a user of an event or future hazard with reference to the mobile unit's location and/or intended direction of travel. The system uses mobile units with GPS or user input location data. The system receives hazard and event information and provides a warning based on location and movement of the user. A hazard location algorithm compares a forecast location of each mobile unit with a forecast hazard and transmits a warning to each mobile unit that is predicted to encounter the hazard. As the mobile unit moves, its actual position is updated in an event center, and a revised warning is transmitted to the mobile unit as applicable. The system does not take into account the user's imminent emergency alert situation needs. No disclosure is contained within the '776 published patent application concerning a system administrator that tailors the issued alert according to the needs of the user.
Foreign Patent Application No. JP 03201758 to Marufuji et al. discloses urgent simultaneous notice equipment by telephone network. A subscriber line of a subscriber telephone network is installed over a wide area. An urgent notice is transmitted through simultaneous sounding from plural speakers connected by multiple connection function of a digital telephone exchange. A telephone-based system uses multiple speakers to announce an alert. The system disclosed by Marufuji et al. does not collect imminent emergency situations and does not deliver alerts to subscribed users using multiple platforms.
Foreign Patent Application No. JP 2003242580 to Yunoki discloses an emergency information notification system, an information terminal used therewith, and an emergency information notification service method. An emergency information notification device communicates the emergency information and a Java program to a base station. A cell phone terminal downloads the Java application and uses the program to determine the location of the emergency information device, which prepares evacuation map routes and delivers the map to the cell phone. The Yunoki system merely relays the emergency alert. It does not collect imminent emergency situations. Emergency information is not delivered according to the preferences of the user.
Foreign Patent Application No. EP 1209886 to Stevens discloses a system, controller and method for alerting mobile subscribers about emergency situations. This wireless system, controller and method alert a mobile subscriber about an emergency situation including, for example, a weather alert, a hostage situation or a hazardous material leak. An emergency warning system generates information identifying a geographic area in which there is an emergency situation. The system includes a controller capable of receiving information identifying the troubled geographic area. The controller requests and receives from a wireless communications network a list of the mobile subscribers currently located within the troubled geographic area. Thereafter, the controller initiates an emergency notification message that is sent to at least one of the mobile subscribers based on special instructions provided by the user stored in a subscriber profile. The emergency notification message can be in the form of a page, a voice message or a short text message. Emergency situation alerts are thereby delivered according to special instructions provided by the users of the system. The Stevens system does not actively acquire hazard and imminent emergency alert situations. It only alerts mobile cell phone subscribers, and does not communicate inminent emergency alerts to the users using multiple platforms.
There remains a need in the art for a Citizen Alert System, which acquires alert preferences such as emergency preferences, operational preferences, and medical preferences of the users; collects appropriate alerts using a variety of means; and delivers the alerts to the user through a multitude of platforms, including a customized user web page so that the user is always provided with current alert information.